A trio of widely admired Maine artists were named recipients of the 2018 Master Craft Artist Award by the Maine Crafts Association. This year’s winners are canoe maker Steve Cayard of Wellington, jewelry designer Patricia Daunis-Dunning of Portland and printmaker David Wolfe of Portland.

The award recognizes excellence in craftsmanship, inspired design, a singular voice or style, and a career of service to the field, said the award’s judge, Andres Verzosa, a collector, curator and writer. Verzosa is past interim director of the Ogunquit Museum of American Art and the owner and operator of Aucocisco Galleries in Portland. He is executive director of the Stanley-Whitman House in Farmington, Connecticut.

Steve Cayard “was a catalyst in the renaissance of birch bark canoe-making,” said Verzosa, a curator and writer.

In a statement, he said, “We have a lot to be proud of in the Maine arts community, the state is rich with master-level artists. From the long list of stellar nominees, I’ve selected three who are highly regarded by their peers, possess accomplished bodies of work, demonstrate long histories of working in their communities, and have achieved significant recognition in their field.

“Steven Cayard was a catalyst in the renaissance of birch bark canoe-making with David Moses Bridges and is included in the 2018 Portland Museum of Art Biennial. Patricia Daunis’ designs have been worn nationally for decades, and her studio is a place of growth for many up-and-coming jewelers. David Wolfe is a leader in the Portland printmaking community; his print house serves as hub and resource, and places Portland on a national scale for printmaking.”

Recipients are invited to teach at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle. In recognition of 10 years of the MCA Master Craft Artist Award, all recipients from 2009 through 2018 will be featured in an exhibition at the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, Massachusetts, in 2019.

Bob Keyes can be contacted at 791-6457 or at:

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“David Wolfe is a leader” in Portland printmaking, Master Craft Artist Award judge Andres Verzosa said.